The Man in Shadows
by Aria Breuer
Summary: Conclusion. Frodo has reached the Blue Mountains, only to reunite with Bingo and discover the secret behind their strange connection. Now, it's a race against time for the twin hobbits to find a solution and sever this bond before the mysterious man in shadows finds them first. Sequel to 'Journey to the Blue Mountains'.
1. The Scroll

**Disclaimers:** I do not own _The Lord of the Rings_. J.R.R. Tolkien does.

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Welcome to the final part of my Second Child fanfiction trilogy. :( :) In a way, I'm happy this trilogy is reaching its end, but I'm also sad since I've been writing my IMC Bingo Baggins for three months now. I'm going to miss him when it's over. :( One more thing I'd like to add, we're picking up right where we left off in the _Journey to the Blue Mountains_ fanfic.

So, without further ado, I present the conclusion to my fanfiction trilogy, _The Man in Shadows_. :)

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The tavern in Thorin's Halls was filled with hobbits and dwarves that night. All around were kegs of beer and ale, as well as the usual dining. No one suspected a thing, but no one expected the mysterious man, hooded and cloaked in green, to leave so early. He had a mission, one that had been set down for ages. He waited until he was outside the inn and away from the doors before checking his scroll.

A list of names protruded on the scroll's parchment. Some of the names he had already taken care of. Doppelgangers and their hosts. But two names stood out the most at the end of the list, two names that shouldn't have come to the Blue Mountains, but stayed in Rivendell for a time.

 _Doppelganger: Bingo Baggins, Host: Frodo Baggins_

"Bingo and Frodo," the hooded man chuckled slyly, "you two are on my list!" He closed the scroll, determination in his eyes. He looked up, checked his watch, and waved. A blue portal appeared in the center of the hallway. He looked back, checking to make sure no one was paying attention to him and disappeared into the portal.

The portal closed behind him as if it never came to light.

.

The blue light reappeared and vanished, bringing the hooded man to the same hallway. The only difference was the hallway glowed in bright and shady colors. The hooded man sniffed the air. Sulfur and coal. Someone was working in the mines again. He turned to the inn, gliding in to see a variety of hooded and cloaked men and women, sitting down and lowering their hoods, revealing their faces.

The hooded man approached a bald, portly man wearing a white tunic, a brown leather belt, and blue jeans. This man looked up when the hooded man approached, tossing a sack of coins on the table.

"It's all here, Baider. One hundred and fifty silver coins, as promised," the hooded man said, as Baider counted the coins.

"Yes, yes. Very good, Ander." Baider said, looking up again with a pleased expression. "You can remove that hood now, Man of Shadows. We all know who you are here and are free to go about your business."

Ander removed his hood, revealing a rugged complexion. His eyes were like sapphires, twinkling against the night sky. His brown beard was scruffy, while his mullet brunette hair needed a trim. He donned silver chain mail beneath his green tunic. The brown leather belt, strapped to his dark green pants, carried a dagger and a sword. He grinned a sly grin at Baider, who continued to count his coins.

"Am I done for the day?" Ander asked, curious.

"Yes, yes, yes. You are free to leave." Baider said, shooing him away. "Oh, and Ander: do be quick! If a Doppelganger gets loose again, we must get rid of it. If not, then his host will suffer."

"Never fear. Frodo Baggins will not leave the Blue Mountains, without being apprehended." Ander vowed.

"Yes, I can see that," Baider said, returning to his coinage.

Ander approached one of the corner tables and sat down. It felt good to relax after a hard day's work. Now he knew where the hobbits were located. It was only a matter of time before he caught up to them again and showed them what a Shadow Ranger could do.

"Doppelgangers!" Ander huffed, smoking his pipe. "What a waste!" He would see to it that Frodo Baggins was safe. No Doppelganger escaped Ander's grasp. That he made sure of!

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Thanks for reading. :)


	2. The Next Day

Thanks go to Eldhoron for helping me figure out this chapter. :)

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Frodo Baggins opened his eyes. The clanging of the mugs being washed and scrubbed by the barkeeper woke him up. His nostrils flared at the strong scent of fresh beer, coming from the keg. He wanted more beer, but his stomach wanted food! Breakfast! Anything to ease his tired mind, and make him feel more alert. Anything!

"Frodo!" Bingo Baggins, his twin brother, waved him over. Frodo looked at the barkeeper one last time before rubbing his eyes, moving a curly lock of brunette hair out of the way, and joining his brother, Sam, Merry, and Pippin at their table. Bingo smiled as he ate his food. "This is the life! Fresh food, a stiff drink, and all the company in the world! Huh?!" Bingo nudged Frodo in the kidney, leaving the poor gentle-hobbit to groan painfully. "Oh! Sorry there, brother!"

"Are you awake, Mister Frodo?" Sam asked Frodo, concerned.

Frodo yawned, doing his best to recover from the pain. "I'm fine! Just a little tired."

"We'll order you some food!" Merry insisted.

"What'll it be?" asked a dwarf waitress, staring at Frodo with kind eyes.

"Breakfast. Eggs, sausage, and bacon, as well as some orange juice, please?" Frodo rested his head on his arms. He wanted to sleep, but he couldn't! This was ridiculous! He sat up as Bingo nudged him again and smiled at the waitress, who walked away a moment later. Frodo looked at his friends and his brother with an exhausted expression written on his face. He yawned a second time, asking aloud, "Well, at least it can't get any worse. Can it?"

"This bread is stale!" one dwarf spat aloud, his spit landing in a tin can! "Yah! Take that, tin can!"

"Now really, is that any way to treat a guest?" another dwarf, the more compassionate of the two, asked his buddy.

" _I don't need to treat my guests harshly, Pinhead!_ " the first dwarf complained. " _I just need to show them who's boss!_ "

"Whose boss? Is that a threat, Mo!" a third dwarf, from across the room, shouted at the first dwarf. "Who made you captain?"

"Why I ought to—" the first dwarf tossed a wine bottle at a wall, right in the third dwarf's path. "Ha! I missed you, Sharky! Bet you can't fly faster than a speeding horse!"

 _Smash!_

Another wine bottle landed on the wall, its purple contents spilling all over the tables in the back row. Everything happened at once: one dwarf pummeled another dwarf, a second dwarf threw the third dwarf across the room, more wine bottles were smashed, and some of the dwarves hooted and howled in triumph! In time, the dwarf waitress returned with Frodo's food, which he gladly took and gobbled down.

Frodo had to move his plate out of the way, as two dwarves ran around the room, pinning each other to the floor. It was good that most of the Frodo's food stayed on the plate. Mmm. Delicious scrambled eggs, delectable sausage links, and crispy bacon coated with cinnamon. Could life get any better than this? Of course, Frodo didn't plan on nearly spilling his orange juice on Bingo's shirt and breeches, thanks to two dwarves grabbing each other by the collars of their shirts and charging around the room, attempting to knock each other out. Luckily, a small amount of the orange juice landed on the floor, while the rest was downed by Frodo, slaking his thirst.

The gentle-hobbit was relieved when he finished his plate. He tipped the waitress and paid for his bill. And yet, it didn't stop the dwarves from fighting!

"How long has this been going on for?" Frodo asked, alert now.

"I say for fifteen minutes." The dwarf waitress shook her head. "Don't worry. This will all be over soon!"

"Let's leave! They'll probably stop fighting after a while!" Merry suggested to his friends, standing up after Sam and Pippin.

"They're right, you know?" Bingo asked his twin brother.

Frodo sighed. "Might as well." He told his hobbit friends, "I'll meet you outside!"

"Okay. Just don't take long." Merry said, following Sam and Pippin out of the tavern.

"Come on, Frodo. Let's leave this bar!" Bingo said, concerned. He stood up, but Frodo stopped him.

"Wait!" Frodo said, cautious.

"What?" Bingo asked, confused.

"We're not alone," Frodo answered, catching a glimpse of a hooded man on the other side of the room. The man smoked his pipe while staring at Frodo and his brother. Frodo gulped, knowing it was time to leave. "You're right, Bingo. Let's go." He said, standing up and ducking past two dwarves caught in a brawl. Frodo looked back, glad to see his brother following him. He waited until they were out of the tavern, before whispering to his twin, "Bingo, I think that hooded man was watching us. He wouldn't stop staring!"

"Do you think he's dangerous?" Bingo asked, scanning the area.

"You know something?" Frodo asked, keenly.

"Look," Bingo huffed, whispering still, "I may know about the hooded men entering the Blue Mountains from time to time. We need to get out of here and look for the royal archives. I think I know where they are, but the route is dangerous. We'll have to be quick if we're to sever our connection or find a third way around it. I think we'll need to look up these hooded men and women, too."

"Great! Something else you haven't told me yet!" Frodo whispered a little louder.

"Shh!" Bingo shushed him. "Come on! We need to find the others!" He pulled Frodo by the collar, dragging him through the tunnel and back up to the first level, inside Thorin's Halls. He released Frodo once they were away from the inn.

"Let go!" Frodo jerked back a moment too late. He looked back when Sam, Merry, and Pippin reached them. He explained, "Bingo knows something that might help us out. We need to hurry before we're spotted again!"

"Again?" Pippin asked, intrigued, "Do you mean by that hooded man?"

"Frodo, this could be dangerous!" Merry warned his cousin.

"I know," Frodo said, "that's why we're not taking any chances. If there's something in the royal archives, like Bingo said, then it might help us stop these hooded people from tracking Bingo and me down, and break our connection!"

Sam nodded. "Then let's go look for it." He warned Frodo's twin, "For your sake, Mister Bingo, I hope you know what you're doing."

"As do I." Bingo nodded. He gestured, taking the lead, "Come on. It's this way! And you'd best prepared for goblins overrunning the tunnels, beneath the Blue Mountains."

"Oh great!" Pippin moaned.

Frodo hoped they would make it out of the royal archives in one piece. Of course, he didn't plan on abandoning his friends in the tunnels of the Blue Mountains. If that happened, then they were in huge trouble.

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Thanks for reading. :)


	3. Skirmish in the Mountains

Sorry for the delay. I was updating my fanfics. :)

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The sun continued to rise across the Blue Mountains. Frodo followed his friends and his brother outside Thorin's Halls. Going up the stairs was one thing, going down them was another. Frodo waited until Bingo started to descend the stairs, before joining him. They reached the courtyard minutes later.

"Alright, so where do we go?" Frodo asked his twin, concerned.

"This way. Straight to the quarry!" Bingo said, rushing off.

"We'd better follow him!" Pippin suggested to Frodo, Merry, and Sam.

Frodo groaned, taking Pippin advice and chasing after Bingo across the open stone road. The path opened up, revealing a stone bridge and a quarry. From the near distance, Frodo watched as Aurochs and dwarves worked in the mines, collecting stones, iron ore, gypsum, and so on. Frodo sighed, wondering if they had reached a dead end.

"I thought we were fighting goblins?" Frodo asked Bingo, confused. "The quarry seems fine right now."

"Shh!" Bingo shushed him. "Goblins might be around! I can feel it."

"You can feel it?" Frodo asked in disbelief. He spoke his twin further, as they climbed up the wooden ramp. "Brother, if I could see goblins I would know it."

"Look out!" One dwarf miner cried out. A wall burst open, revealing a slew of goblins pouring out from the entrance. "Fight dwarves! Fight!" As one, the dwarves rallied and fought off the goblins.

Bingo shook his head. "I told you there were goblins. Let's go!"

"What about them?" Sam asked, alarmed. "What if we get caught in the fray?"

"Then you'd better hope you know how to fight," Bingo said, smiling. He gestured to the four hobbits. "Come on! The sooner we've escaped from these goblins, the better! I know the entrance to the royal archives is here. We just have to find it!"

"Um…" Frodo turned to the dwarves on the quarry's first level. It was an ambush, but not that many goblins came from that tunnel. The dwarves fought them and won, if only too soon. The hobbit watched in dismay as another wall burst open, sending a second small swarm of goblins to ambush the dwarf miners. "It looks like a skirmish down there!"

"Yeah, it seems that way. Come on!" Bingo repeated, climbing to the top of the ramp. "I know it's here! I know it!"

"Here what is?" Pippin asked him, confused.

"The tunnel entrance to the royal archives!" Bingo said, hastily. "We can't waste time. Is it up there?" He moved to the second ramp, reaching the third level. "Ah! There it is!" He gestured to the hobbits, allowing them to enter the tunnel. "We'll need torches."

"Um… Bingo, what about them? What about the dwarves?" Frodo asked, pointing to the ground below.

"We can't do anything for them," Bingo told him. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't worry! This will all be corrected. We just can't waste time." He gestured to the outside of the tunnel, listening to the dwarves' cheer. "See? They've got this!" He added, bluntly, "This isn't our fight. We're merely guests here."

"Still, I could have stopped this! I could have helped them." Frodo said, astonished.

"I know." Bingo patted his shoulder, releasing him. "I know you want to, but we can't stop. Do you understand?" He got Frodo's attention, "We can talk about this later." He added, "Look, maybe you will have an opportunity to fight, as will I. Now come on! We're not that far from the archives!"

Frodo looked on in regret, before descending the tunnel. He looked back to see Bingo light a torch, using his magic. A blue flame ignited, lighting the torch. Other torches, embedded in the walls, also lit up. Bingo led the way now, with Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin following him.

They reached the end of the tunnel, stopping in front of a wooden door. They were blocked! Sam tested the door's latch, checking to make sure it was unlocked.

 _Click!_

"It's open!" Sam said, cautious.

"Let's go in," Bingo said, entering the next room.

Frodo followed, unsure what awaited them. The moment everyone was inside, Frodo looked back as Pippin closed the door. Frodo turned to the chamber now, impressed by what he saw.

The room had gold floors, with large, dwarf-make stone pillars standing in a circle around the room. Rows upon rows of bookcases, littered with books, scrolls, and parchment, lined the room. In the centermost part of the area was a long wooden table with wooden chairs that had red cushions, embroidered with a gold rose pattern.

Frodo looked at this room in amazement. "Where are we?"

"My friends," Bingo said, moving in front of the four hobbits, "brother," he looked at Frodo for a moment, before answering in a joyous manner, "welcome to the Royal Archives." He added, smiling, "Lads, we've arrived!"

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Thanks for reading. :)


	4. The Royal Archives

"Well, what do you think?" Bingo asked the hobbits, curious. "The dwarves built this place shortly after the Doppelgangers came around. It's meant to be a refuge, in case they didn't find their hosts right away."

"Hosts?" Frodo asked, confused.

"The Doppelgangers have been here?" Pippin asked, looking around.

"Why yes, they were." Bingo faced them again. "It's a historic relic. It's meant to be the most secure area for Doppelgangers to the hideout." He admitted, pointing out the various tunnels along the chamber's outer walls. "These passages served me well, during the time when I was a Doppelganger." He shook his index finger in the air. "If my memory serves me right, we should be able to find what we need, before that mysterious man in shadows shows up."

"What's his business with you, anyway?" Frodo asked, following Bingo over to a bookcase.

"He's dangerous. He _hates_ Doppelgangers!" Bingo hissed. "There's more than one. They call themselves the Shadow Rangers, because Doppelgangers move about in the shadows, sneaking up on their hosts until they die." He faced his younger brother, admitting truthfully. "I'm sorry I did that to you. Nearly killing you. I couldn't help it! That's what Doppelgangers do, Frodo! They wait until their host is out in the open, by themselves, and then they sneak up on them until the hosts meet their fate. I couldn't control myself. It's just how it works, I'm afraid."

He added, sincerely, "You have to understand that since I've been alive, all I've been trying to do is protect you." He shook his head. "I never want to be a Doppelganger again. I've risked too much coming back to this place! I'm not about to lose you now. If I have to lose my life to save yours, then I've done some good in this world."

"Bingo," Frodo asked, nervously, "who are these hosts that attract the Doppelgangers?"

"Usually, they're the twin of someone who died. In this case, you were my host. Since I was your Doppelganger, it felt it best to kill you. I almost succeeded!" Bingo shook his head. "I'm never doing that again, not if I go mad afterward." He shrugged. "It's better this way, that we find a cure for this bond before it kills us both." He added, remorseful, "I don't want you going through the same fate as me. It's not your time!"

"Alright." Frodo nodded. "Let's find this cure."

"Thank you." Bingo smiled, turning to the bookcase.

"You're welcome," Frodo said, joining him.

.

Frodo and his friends searched the room for hours. They hardly had any luck finding the cure. Maybe it wasn't in these books! Maybe it was elsewhere! Or maybe the cure wasn't there at all!

Either way, Frodo was exhausted. He sat down in front of the table, unsure where else to look. He closed his eyes, allowing sleep to overwhelm his thoughts. He descended into a strange dream, wondering how he got there in the first place.

 _Frodo wandered through the Royal Archives. The blue light from the silvery moon shone best in the center tunnel, across the room from the door leading into the archives. He followed this tunnel, coming across a strange room with a metal wheel and a stone well._

 _The next minute, he looked at himself and Bingo, performing a spell, causing a great light to appear in-between them. Frodo turned around, finding Sam, Merry, and Pippin watching the scene, enveloped by what they witnessed._

 _The light grew brighter, making it hard for Frodo to see what was happening. He looked up again at the red roses with their thorny green bushes. They grew here. They turned white. Could this room be enchanted?_

Frodo stirred, unsure what was going on. He lifted his head up off the table, finding Bingo sitting next to him, watching him cautiously. Frodo nodded to him.

"It was just a dream." He yawned.

"What did you see? It might help us." Bingo said, curious.

"There was a room at the end of that tunnel," Frodo pointed out the center tunnel, bathed in the moonlight, "with a metal wheel and a well. I'm not sure what it means, but in the dream, you and I were standing across from each other. A brilliant flash of light showed up, and then the dream ended. I woke up." He added in surprise, "I can hardly believe it myself. If that room is real, then we _must_ find it!"

"I'll be right back!" Bingo stood up. "I think I know which book we can use!" He rushed over to the bookcase and pulled out one of the thicker books. He returned to the table, setting the book down and flipping to the middle page. He looked up as Sam, Merry, and Pippin joined them, before speaking with Frodo again. "There! There are the fountain and the well, the well that you described in the dream! They're in a place called the Room of Dreams."

"How fitting," Pippin shrugged.

"What else does it say?" Merry asked Bingo, curious.

"It says here," Bingo read aloud, "that if the wheel is turned, the well and the fountain will start up. The fountain will let us," he pointed to himself and Frodo, "use its waters to create a severing charm or, if we're worthy, find a way to sever the bond without actually killing ourselves. There is a third way, which will dampen the bond, revert it to its original state. In other words, Frodo, we would still have the bond, but we would be allowed to lead separate lives." He looked at his younger brother with concern. "I wasn't sure which path you might take." He asked, sitting down, "What do you think?"

Frodo looked at the table, lost in thought. It was possible to sever this bond with Bingo, but what would that cost? Would they die? Would they still live? Severing the bond seemed a lot more painful than he thought, but dampening this bond sounded like the right decision. Frodo looked up at Bingo again, knowing which path to take.

"Let's revert the bond to its original state," Frodo answered, confident. "I think it's better than attempting to hurt ourselves. Besides, without the bond, we'd both be lost." He shook his head. "No. This is the right option."

"Good choice," Bingo smiled, patting his brother on the back. He stood up, encouraging Frodo and his friends, "Shall we go now? We don't want to risk getting caught." He grabbed the book before another word was spoken. "I'd best take this with me. You never know when we're going to need it, especially when we reach the Room of Dreams."

"Good idea," Frodo said, following his brother. He looked back to see Sam, Merry, and Pippin follow after him towards the center tunnel.

"Who do you think lives here?" Sam asked, when they reached the tunnel.

"Dwarves," Frodo answered with a warm smile.

"It's not too bad," Merry said, admitting freely.

"Trust me, Merry! Dampening the bond is a lot harder than it looks!" Bingo said, unwittingly.

"Well, let's hope this doesn't take too long. I'm starving." Pippin said, his stomach growled.

"We'll find food, Pippin," Merry said, clasping his shoulder. "Don't worry!"

Frodo looked at the archive room, the second the others walked down the tunnel. It would have been a shame to leave it behind. Still, he and his friends had no choice! They would have to go on. He turned now to the tunnel, descending further underground. The lit torches guided his and his friends' path, making it easier to see where they were going. As they left the tunnel and entered the next room, Frodo had this sinking feeling that everything was about to change.

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Thanks for reading. :)


	5. The Third Way

It was like Frodo was back in his dream. There was the fountain, sitting across from the well. There was the metal wheel, attached to the well. There weren't any roses, but the moonlight shone brightly in this area. Bingo moved into the moonlight with ease.

"This is it! This is the Room of Dreams!" Bingo said, cheerful.

Frodo faced his brother. "So, what's next?"

"Let's see!" Bingo skimmed through the page and read it aloud. "It says here, 'For those wishing to restore the bond to its original state, the host and the Doppelganger must place their hands in the fountain's water. The water will turn to dust, able to be grabbed. The Doppelganger must ignite a flame and make the thread between the host and their Doppelganger visible. The dust can be used for whatever thought comes to mind.'" Bingo closed the book, setting it down against the wall. He said to the four hobbits, "I told you it wasn't easy."

"Sounds simple enough," Merry said.

"Let's get started," Frodo said, touching the fountain's water, making it ripple. "The sooner we can leave, the sooner Pippin can eat."

"Yes! My stomach demands that we get some food!" Pippin patted his stomach.

"You always surprise me, don't you Pippin?" Bingo chuckled happily. He touched the fountain's rim, turning the water into two clumps of brown dust. He grabbed a fistful of the dust at the same time as Frodo, before turning to an open part of the room.

"Whenever you're ready," Frodo said, preparing to throw the dust.

"Ilúvatar, be with us this night!" Bingo said, closing his eyes. He opened them again, revealing a ball of blue flame that flickered on the palm of his free hand. He concentrated on the flame, making it float. The spell pained his arm, making the veins tighten.

He screamed, tossing the flame inches between himself and his brother. Bingo released the flame, watching his hand tremble violently. He looked at the flame. It grew in shape and size, transforming into a gold thread that connected Frodo and him. Bingo looked up at Frodo, ready to toss the dust onto the thread.

"Ready?" Bingo asked, concerned. "We only get one shot at this! So, let's make it count!"

Frodo closed his eyes, his mind thinking of dampening the bond. He never thought it would sever it… until his thoughts lingered on the possibility of restoring the connection. It felt so right. There was nothing he could do to stop this thought. He opened his eyes, nodding to Bingo.

"I'm ready," Frodo said, moving his hand close to the thread. He looked up, watching Bingo perform the same action.

"Tell me when," Bingo said, tensing up.

"NOW!" Frodo said, releasing the dust at the same time as his brother. He watched the dust blanket the thread, seeping into the light until it became a golden-brown color. For a moment, nothing happened. Did the plan fail? Did it succeed? His thoughts raced, wondering if anything happened—

 _Blast!_

A bright flash of light engulfed the room. Frodo was thrown back, landing in a heap. The thread faded, and yet he felt the same. Different, too, like something balanced itself out. It had to be the connection! He moved to a sitting position, shaking himself off. The dizziness went away, allowing him to see the room return to normal.

He looked at Bingo, who also recovered from the blast. Frodo stood up, watching Bingo do the same moments later. Bingo tested out another flame. The flame stayed in his hand for a second, then dissipated.

Light radiated off Bingo's arms, giving him another chance to breathe. He felt more hobbitish, less Doppelganger. It was wonderful, a feeling he hadn't expected to find! It was there, enlightening him, making him feel better. He looked up as Frodo approached him.

"It's over," Bingo said, smiling. "I'm a hobbit again." He recovered. "A full-fledged hobbit! The Doppelganger side of me is melting away!"

"How do you feel? Really?" Frodo asked him, curious.

"Honestly," Bingo admitted, "I feel good! It's wonderful!" He clasped Frodo's shoulder. "Now, we can be a proper family."

"Yes, we can," Frodo picked up the book. "Come on," he patted Bingo on the back, "let's get you home."

"It's too late for that." A hooded man moved out of the shadows, blocking the hobbits' path.

"Who are you?" Frodo asked, cautious.

"Forgive me," the hooded man pointed to Bingo, "I believe your brother already knows who I am."

"It's you!" Bingo said, frightened. "You're the man in shadows!"

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Thanks for reading. :)


	6. Swan Song

"Indeed," the hooded man shrugged, "but you have been hard to catch, Bingo Baggins. Who knew a Doppelganger could become a full-fledged hobbit?" He chuckled. "No matter! This job will end shortly and I will complete my work."

Frodo stepped in front of his brother, telling the hooded man, seriously, "You make a lot of threats, ranger, and yet we don't see your face."

The hooded man nodded silently. He took a small step back, pulling down the hood to reveal a rugged complexion with mullet brunette hair. Frodo was stunned by the face he saw under the hood. No! How was this possible?

"Who are you?" Frodo asked the ranger, concerned and cautious.

"I am Ander," the ranger introduced himself in a sincere voice. "My actions are my own." He cocked his head a little to the side. "You don't seem like the kind of hobbit who wants to make threats with me! What is your business, other than attempting to save this Doppelganger's life?" He pointed to Bingo in vengeance.

"Why do you hate Doppelgangers?" Bingo asked, confused. "What have we done to you?"

"Doppelgangers are responsible for killing my brother," Ander explained, choking on his words. "We were twins, you see. But there was a third. A triplet and my brother. He was so brave and cunning, true to a fault. One day he died and the next he comes back as a Doppelganger, bent on one purpose: to kill the second born child. My second brother, my younger half."

"We thought, sure, we would be safe from this threat." Ander looked up at the hobbits, his expression turning from sorrow to anger. "The Doppelganger wouldn't leave. He kept demanding that his life was going to end! I didn't listen. Then one day, this horse comes charging in, at full speed. My brother was in the way and got trampled on. He died the next morning."

"I felt his pain. It wasn't a connection like the bond you two believe you share—" The ranger chuckled. "I'm sorry, shared!" He continued the tale, "No. Ours was a normal pain, but it sent me down a dark, spiraling path. Baider, the Chief Shadow Ranger, found me, took me in, and I became one of the Shadow Rangers! I swore I would avenge my brothers' deaths, no matter how long it takes."

He checked his crossbow. "Now, I must complete my mission."

"Your mission? I don't understand." Frodo asked, moving a protective hand in front of Bingo.

"The mission I was sent out to do, Frodo Baggins!" Ander said, turning to the hobbit. "The mission that keeps me alive! As long as I stay true to my oath, I cannot die! That mission is to kill all the Doppelgangers and protect their hosts! I will do whatever it takes to prevent another Doppelganger from killing another brother!" He aimed the crossbow at Bingo. "And now I must kill you. So long, Bingo Baggins! May I never see your face here again."

"You don't have to do this." Bingo looked to the hobbits for support. "He's crazy, blinded by hatred and sorrow!" He shook his head. "Look at where it got you." He rested his hand on the hilt of his dagger, preparing to throw it. He turned to Ander, defensively. "We don't have to fight. Live! Be the man you hope to be! That's all it takes!"

"I'm sorry, Bingo Baggins, but this is my life and you're going down with me. FOR THE RANGERS!" Ander screamed.

"Wait. STOP!" Frodo shouted.

It was too late.

Everything happened so fast: Bingo shoved Frodo out of the way, pulling out his dagger, and throwing it at Ander. Ander fired his crossbow, shooting the arrow straight and true. Both weapons struck someone. Frodo looked again at Ander. The ranger gagged. The dagger had reached its target, smack dab through the heart. Ander gave one last look at him, before collapsing on the stone, cold floor. He was dead.

"No," Frodo said, hardly believing what he saw.

"Mr. Frodo, he still lives!" Sam cried, kneeling next to Bingo. Frodo sat on the floor, next to his older brother. The arrow Ander shot struck Bingo through the chest. Bingo coughed and sputtered, doing his best to hold on, even as Frodo moved his older brother to his lap. Bingo looked at him and their friends as best he could. It was the hardest task he ever had to do.

"You're not affected… Frodo… that is good." Bingo said to his younger brother, weakly. He looked up at Sam, Merry, and Pippin, smiling. "We did it." He turned to his brother again. "We won."

"No! Stay alive!" Frodo choked back on some tears. "You must live! I cannot lose another loved one. Not like this!"

"Shh!" Bingo shushed him. "It's all right. This is my fate." His voice weakened more. He looked at Frodo in wonder. "You must live, Frodo. You have to take the next step." A tear rushed down his cheek. "I'll see you soon, brother." His eyes turned towards the ceiling, the moonlight growing brighter with each slow, passing second. His eyes dimmed. He drew one last breath and was gone.

Frodo looked on at Bingo's body. No! How could Bingo die like this?! How could he leave his younger brother alone again?! Frodo barely managed to keep it together, saying at last, "Rest in peace, brother."

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)


	7. Epilogue: Moving On

This is the last chapter of this story.

*.*.*

The Shadow Rangers disbanded. Baider felt that, with the loss of Ander, his closest ranger, the Doppelgangers would continue to prey on people, no matter what they did. It was no longer up to Baider to decide the Doppelgangers' fates, and that made the Doppelgangers happy. In reward for their deeds, the hobbits were granted a one-way trip to the land of their choice, agreeing that the Doppelgangers would help them again when the time was right.

Sam, Merry, and Pippin used their one-way trip to get back to the Shire. They felt sure they would see Frodo again on their long journey to Rivendell. Frodo embraced his friends, watching them leave the Room of Dreams via the portal. Frodo turned his gaze to the Doppelgangers, waiting for them to say something important.

"What will you do now, Frodo?" One of the Doppelgangers asked him. "We cannot leave Bingo's body here."

"No," Frodo nodded, "we cannot, but I have an idea."

.

He stood before Bingo's grave in Rivendell, underneath a grove of trees, where the sound of rushing water was closest. Frodo stayed there, resting his hand on the tomb. A tear trickled down his face, splashing on the gravestone. He could hardly contain himself.

"Goodbye brother," Frodo said, sullen. "I'll miss you."

"Miss me?" a silvery voice startled him. Frodo moved away from the tomb, stunned to see a hobbit stand next to a tree, wearing a blue jacket and a deep blue waistcoat. Bingo smiled, kindly to his brother, "It's good to see you, too."

"I thought I would never see you again!" Frodo embraced the specter, surprised that his hands touched flesh.

"There, there!" Bingo said, releasing his brother. He smiled. "I told you, I'm no longer a Doppelganger. We're free, free to go wherever we please."

"Bingo, you murdered that man, before you died," Frodo said, not understanding.

Bingo sighed. "I was trying to defend you. I may have succeeded, but now I must help Ander find his way back to his brothers." He paused. "Your task is coming up. Speak with Bilbo. See what he has to say. You may be rewarded for your efforts."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Frodo said, choking back tears.

"You'll just have to move on," Bingo said, kindly, "I'll be watching over you, protecting you at all time. You won't die in the next quest. Trust me! I know." He added, "Our parents and I will look after you. So, you won't be alone again."

"Thank you," Frodo nodded, "for what you've done."

"Well, I wasn't meant to survive, was I?" Bingo asked.

"Oh, don't say that—"

"Frodo," Bingo said, serious, "sometimes fate takes the upper hand and we must accept it." He moved away from him, saying, "Do not fear for me. I am well. I'll see you later." He walked towards a bright light, engulfing him until he vanished from sight.

.

Frodo walked towards the Last Homely House in deep thought. He couldn't help thinking about everything that had transpired since he left Rivendell. His original plan had been for naught, but at least his brother saved him! Frodo sighed, knowing that his brother changed during the quest to the Blue Mountains. And for that, Frodo was grateful.

"Frodo!" Lida, the dark-haired elven teen girl, smiled and waved to him.

Frodo smiled back, knowing that some things were worth living for.

The End.

*.*.*

Here we are, at the end of this trilogy. :(

I'd like to thank the following people for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following this story: Gracie Miserables. And thank you, everyone, for taking time out of your busy schedules to read this fanfic. It is much appreciated. :)

Bingo's death had been planned out since I wrote my fanfic _Journey to the Blue Mountains_. It was obvious where this story was heading. That said, I am sorry for killing Bingo off and for what happened in the last chapter. Hopefully, I didn't scare too many readers away! If I did, then I apologize. :(

As for this trilogy, we got to see what happens when a writer expands on a plot-generated summary. It was fun working on this story and this trilogy as a whole. :) Even though Bingo's gone in this trilogy, he's still one of my favorite Inspired Characters. I had a lot of fun writing him into the story, learning about him, and exploring this trilogy as a whole. :)

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this trilogy, too. :)

Thanks for reading. :) I'll see everyone in the next story! Bye. :)

 _Aria Breuer_


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